Posts Tagged: teens

Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff pays homage to the new networks that we (myself included) rely on for love: technology.

Brezenoff packs this modern dilemma into a cheeky, geeky story of RPG, LARPing and video game lexicons. I have very limited knowledge about video games, so I was skeptic at first but also curious. After all I am a reader; I take on stacks of books and move up level by level in lexile points.

Fortunately the story itself is not in full video game mode, but it has a few contextual key points that prove that it is in fact a geeky love story. The love story is interesting because it involves a hardcore metal fan, Lesh, and the game profile he creates, Svetlana, who he falls in love with. This is the moral dilemma about modern technology that Brezenoff introduces rather skillfully: Falling in love with a CHARACTER you created! Rather creepy, but in a world of ideal relationships and teenage awkwardness, Lesh’s actions are very relatable (from a teenager’s perspective).

After all, being in love during high school is very awkward and sometimes stressful for the couple and people around them. Brezenoff incorporates these types of teen issues, such as dealing with parents, friends and cliques (Gamer geeks versus metal fans?), in his book quite well. For that, I give Brezenoff a big thumbs-up for the full slice-of-life action, but the whole plot itself is pretty mediocre and similar to modern genres of books that I’ve been reading.

If you are a writer who constantly looks out for slice-of-life, geeky books (especially if you are a gamer of some sort), then this book might fit your criteria. From a reviewer’s perspective with no knowledge of video games whatsoever, I found this pleasing but bland. Brezenoff could have added more background info about the relationship and the clique structure of “gamer versus metal fans” so as to demonstrate the difficulty of their relationship due to their different outlooks. But it is a book that is meant to end well.

Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day! For all the hopeless romantics out there, here at the Niles Library we’ve got the perfect selection of romance movies to tug at your heartstrings. So if you’ve got a special someone (or two named Ben & Jerry), grab one of these sweet flicks and fall in love with love all over again.

As usual, you can search through our entire DVD/Blu-ray collection at www.nileslibrary.org. Or if you’re technologically inclined, you can download up to ten of these heart-warmers using Hoopla, a new service that lets you instantly download movies, music, and more onto your mobile devices 24/7. All you need is your Niles Public Library card to register at hoopladigital.com/home. Have a happy Valentine’s Day!

This movie is old by now, but it is the last significant movie that I’ve seen in a while. I’m super excited for Mockingjay, but that is besides the point.

If I Stay is a tearjerker, and you cannot label it as any less. All of my family members shed at least one tear, and that says a lot since my Polish, whiskey-drinking grandma came along to watch it with my aunt, sister, and me. If I had to put a label on it, I would say that this is a romance movie but I do not have to since this is my blog, and I am glad I do not have to because it was so much more than that.

The book that I am writing a review about is Panic by Lauren Oliver. It was on the list for the ALA Conference so I decided to give it a shot.

From a personal standpoint I would give this book a rating of 5/5. It was a very well written book and I absolutely loved it! I could not put the book down due to all of the action and suspense that kept going on. The characters were very well portrayed, and the ending was something completely different from what I expected it to be. It actually made me want to start reading it again!

It’s one of my favorite books now and I’m very glad that I had the opportunity to read it. I highly suggest that you go pick up a copy at the Library!

The Scar Boys is currently one of my favorite books I have read in the past few years. Myself being a musician playing guitar, I could connect to this story on a personal level. You do not have to be a musician to enjoy this book though. The Scar Boys exemplifies what is like to be in a band, why you form one, and sometimes how they sometimes break up on a first hand account from the author.

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a few classic holiday movies – and here at the Niles Public Library, we’ve got a plethora of tinsel-wrapped flicks to choose from. Stop in to pick up one of these DVDs and then hurry home, wrap yourself in a warm blanket, and sip hot cocoa as you enjoy some family entertainment.

This is just a taste of what the Library has to offer, so if your favorite isn’t on this list, browse through our catalog! Or you can download up to ten holiday music and movie favorites this month onto your iPhone, tablet, or other mobile device using hoopla, a new service that lets you instantly borrow movies, music and more 24/7 with your Niles Public Library card. Visit hoopladigital.com/home to sign up for this FREE service!

Joining in the fun of the Holiday Season, fifteen Niles teens decorated the Niles Library Tree for the 5th Annual Festival of Trees in the Center Court of Golf Mill Shopping Center.

The theme for the 2014 library tree, Fandoms Unite, was chosen by the Niles Teen Advisory Board. The teens decked the tree with characters from Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek, Frozen, Hunger Games, Dr. Who and Divergent. Yoda, the winner of the 2013 Teen Read Month Heroes vs. Villains Sci-Fi Tournament, is the star of the tree. To vote for the Niles Library Tree please bring canned goods to the Customer Service office across from the Golf Mill Professional Building elevators. Each donated food item counts as one vote. Voting ends on Sunday, December 14, 2014.

Are you a fan of the Hobbit movies? Here are some of my favorites that might hold you over until the Battle of the Five Armies is released (Dec. 17, but who’s counting?). These are my picks for live action fantasy/fairy tale/adventure/romance movies that are pure escapism. And don’t forget, you can catch up on the first two movies on the big screen here at the Niles Library over Winter Break: An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug.

This quote underscores the main theme of Sekretby debut author Lindsay Smith in describing Russia’s culture. With a flair of YA touch and the supernatural, Smith isn’t someone who is incapable of spelling. In fact, this is intentional. The setting of this book is in 1960′s USSR, and I suppose by spelling “secret” as “Sekret” it reflects the Russian language.

Prior to reading Sekret, I was very interested in Russian history with regards to my European history class. I noticed the innumerable controversies linked to Russian history (Rasputin? Romanov? Babushkas?). This book does a good job of incorporating Russia’s mysteries during its communist years into the story and giving the reader an intimate perspective on its dark history.

There is only one day when Star Wars fans, Potterheads, Whovians, and Disney maniacs can all gather and mingle in fan frenzy bliss here at the Niles Library: Fandom Fest! Join us on Sunday, November 23, 2014 from 2 to 4pm for a day full of crafts, costumes, and tributes to your favorite movies, TV shows, and comics.